Do I have Aspergers?

Post Reply New Topic

Is it possible? I've scored somewhat high on 2 quizzes one being 40/50 and the other being 165/200. It would make a lot of sense when I think about my relationship with people and my solitary life. I have 0 friends after moving to a new place been living here for 4 years. I play soccer and rugby but I don't stay or chat. I found small talk to be bothersome and just mehh. I'd rather talk religion or politics and that tends to piss people off but I mean no offense. I always been an odd one out most my life. I felt like I mimic what I saw. Rather keep emotions to myself. I don't like to be touched or hugged it makes me few awkward and loud sounds drive me nuts and I'm easily irratted. My narrow interest is Rome I love Rome I watch movies and anything to do with Rome. I listen to podcast on all the emperors I just like to escape to it. So I don't know what to do. I could be wrong but it would explain a lot.

We can't diagnose you.

Some of what you say COULD point in that direction, tho'. There are many people who get diagnosed as adults because they were so "high on the spectrum" nobody noted the autistic symptoms when they were a child. Such people functioned too well and so slipped thru the cracks.

Do you have a physician you can speak frankly to, or do you know of a local mental health center? Better yet, do you know of any autism organizations in your area that might be able to point you in the right direction if you chose to seek an evaluation?

I am wondering one thing-
The 165/200 score...
Was that the same test that produces a line graph plotted within a circle? If so, do you recall your NT score, and not just your Aspie score?

Hey I got a 44/200 for the NT what is that? I started going to the clinic around here I got to see them Thursday. Do I just bring in the test results from the two?

I'd show it to them for sure. See if they think it's of value.

I have heard it said here that such tests are rubbish, but others on these forums feel the tests produced results in step with an already established diagnosis.

Oh, and having a score of 165 on the Aspie side and 44 on the NT side is just about right. The two figures don't always add up to 200. One person here who was already diagnosed scored something like 154 Aspie, but instead of 46 Neuro-typical, they scored maybe 48 or 50.

There can be a little overlap.

Look at mine. Just about right down the middle, but not quite. 101 NT, 100 Aspie. I'm betwixt and between, but then that means I'm absolutely NOT Neuro-typical ("normal"). Leaves only one other catagory... Aspie, but apparently borderline. High on the autism spectrum, but on it nonetheless.

Clinicians as a rule don't like a whole lot of self diagnosis. People come running in all the time waving pages they printed off Web-MD or wherever saying "I think I have this condition!". And even say what meds they think should be prescribed. I think it's better to go in something more like "this is what I'm experiencing and I want you to tell me what you think I might have".

We can not make diagnoses. Most of us here have no license, degree, or education in mental health subjects, and those who do know better than to issue a diagnosis based solely on your subjective opinions and the alleged results of a few on-line "tests".

Seek the counsel of an appropriately trained and licensed mental-health professional.

This is very true. Though there are limits to that. There is an interesting cautionary tale in this week's edition of "this American Life" -- listen to "Act 1" for a striking example of the kind of case in which trusting your own perceptions can be much more important than listening to the experts--who are sometimes caught in cognitive biases that prevent them from using their expertise effectively.

As I recall, the young woman came to an expert with a detailed self-diagnosis for an incredibly rare condition and was rejected out of hand. The doctor was terribly wrong as was later confirmed by genetic testing (the kind of definitive test we still don't have for ASD and without which argument about the accuracy of diagnosis is inevitable.) More amazingly, the young woman later made another unlikely self-diagnosis that was, again, dismissed by experts but later proven correct. This time, her accurate self-diagnosis and diagnosis of another person, a famous athlete, solely on the basis of photographs, ended up saving a life.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-a ... -i-can-see
More detail here:
https://www.propublica.org/article/musc ... c-mutation

Had she "allowed" the physician to come to the same conclusions she did without first declaring her theory, he might have found it on his own, but it seems likely, given his conviction that he would never see such a rare disorder in his life, that he was not capable of seeing it. This may be true for some diagnosticians of autism who only believe that very low functioning autism is real. If you run into one of these, find another. That isn't "diagnosis shopping" but a rational response to available data.

I agree if you think something is wrong to push for it to be diagnosed. But at the same time maybe give whoever a chance to make a diagnosis without maybe coming off as a hypochondriac right away. The OP talked about visiting a clinic, which would lead to a referral depending on what kind of clinic he means. My parents have argued with doctors and been proven right before.

A lot of the symptoms you listed sound like Social anxiety or just plain introvert to me. a lot of people who post on here are forgetting that autism spectrum disorders, even in the most MILD form are disabling to a degree. These four MAIN categories of symptoms need to be present to a disabling or troublesome to the person experiencing them or people around them.

- Inability or great difficulty Socializing and communicating.
- Obsessions, Fixations, Repetitive, Routines, Rituals
- Sensory Sensitivity
- Executive Functioning issues.

Yes, ALL four need to be present in some way or it doesnt qualify as a diagnoses, i didnt make this up, this is what Psychologists use for diagnoses, and it NEEDS NEEDS NEEDS to Present since the age of 18 months AND it needs to be disabling in some way shape or form, For example:

at the age of two,no eye contact, stacking or lining objects obsessively, rarely showed facial expressions, did not respond to name, and did not initiate play with others. Painful response to loud sounds, bright lights or textures, picky eating or refusal to eat anything. Routines, Obsessions and rituals, like I ritualistically took all the clothes out of my closet EVERY NIGHT and put them in a pile in my door way. Stimming behaviour like hitting self, bitting, rocking back and forth, rolling, flapping hands, chewing. Meltdowns

Are you able to work?
Are you able to ask for help when you need it (IE, call plumbers, doctors, police ect)
Are you able to leave your house?
Can you take care of yourself? (wash yourself daily, keep your house clean, buy food)
Can you form meaningful relationships, (Not ALL but A LOT of autistic people dont find meaning in relationships, its only used as a function)
Can you abandon your obsession or "special interest" temporarily to devote time to things like work or school (big problem for me!)
Are you frequently depressed or suicidal?
are you lonely?
Do you have Meltdowns and shutdowns?

Now im going to explain meltdowns because theres a lot of misunderstanding about them.
Meltdowns or sometimes defined as rage is NOT A TANTRUM. its a complete loss of control and behaviour, it can range from small to large, a small meltdowns may consist of Crying, hyperventilating, unresponsive, screaming and large ones can consist of attacking others, screaming, self harm, destruction of property, hyperventilating, crying, swearing, speaking in tongues.the causes of meltdowns are as follows
-Build up of unresolved emotions
- loss of control
- fear
-Change in routine and enviroment
- sensory overload
Shutdowns are when the person has become overloaded either sensory or emotional. they consist of inability or difficulty responding to another person (diffculty understanding what that person has said or forming sentences) , confusion, difficulty seeing, staring into space, sleepiness, and slow or delayed reactions.

Remember, even the MOST ADAPTED AUTISTIC PERSON STILL HAS THESE ISSUES TO A DEGREE. NOT EVERYONE WITH AUTISM IS THE SAME BUT THAT DOESNT MEAN SOME SYMPTOMS JUST ARENT THERE, THAT DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF A DIAGNOSES.

Hopefully this informaiton can help. if you feel that you need aid and therapy, SEEK A PROFESSIONAL DIAGNOSES, however if your just curious a self diagnoses will do fine, i personally dont believe in self diagnoses but whatever floats your boat..

Good luck and welcome to WP. your welcome with or without autism.